I Want You To Want Me
Chris Isaak Lyrics
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I'd love you to love me
I'm beggin' you to beg me
Oh I need you to need me
I want you to want me
I'd love you to love me
I'm beggin' you to beg me
Put on a brand new shirt
I'll get home early from work
If you say that you love me
Didn't I, didn't I, didn't I
See you cryin'
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I
See you cryin'
Feelin' all alone without a friend
You know you feel like dyin'
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I
See you cryin'
I want you to want me
I'd love you to love me
I'm beggin' you to beg me
Oh I need you to need me
Kick on my old brown shoes
Put on my brand new shirt
I'll get home early from work
If you say that you love me
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I
See you cryin'
Didn't I, didn't I, didn't I
See you cryin'
Feelin' all alone without a friend
You know you feel like dyin'
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I
See you cryin'
Feelin' all alone without a friend
You know you feel like dyin'
Never didn't I, didn't I, didn't I
See you cryin'
I want you to want me
I'd love you to love me
I'm beggin' you to beg me
Oh I need you to need me
I want you to want me
(I want you to want me)
I want you to want me
(I want you to want me)
(I want you to want me)
Chris Isaak's "I Want You to Want Me" is a simple yet evocative plea for attention and affection. The song showcases the vulnerability and neediness of a man who is desperate for the love of another. The lines “I'm begging you to beg me” and “I need you to need me” reveal the depth of the singer's desire for the other person's attention. The repetition of the phrase “I want you to want me” and “I'd love you to love me” drives home the message that the singer wants nothing more than to be desired by the other person.
The verses paint a picture of the singer preparing himself to win over the object of his affection. He puts on his best clothes, gets home early from work, and even remembers seeing the other person crying and feeling alone. The singer is willing to do whatever it takes to make the other person happy and convince them to love him.
The emotional intensity of the lyrics is mirrored in the song's simple but effective composition. The melody is catchy and the guitar chords are repetitive, creating a sense of urgency that reinforces the message of the lyrics. Overall, "I Want You to Want Me" is a poignant expression of the human need for love and the lengths we will go to get it.
Line by Line Meaning
I want you to want me
The singer desires the person he is addressing to have a romantic interest in him
I'd love you to love me
The singer wants the person he is addressing to reciprocate his romantic feelings
I'm beggin' you to beg me
The singer is pleading with the person he is addressing to express their romantic feelings openly
Oh I need you to need me
The singer feels that he requires the person he is addressing in order to feel complete
Put on my old brown shoes
The singer is making an effort to appear casual and laid-back
Put on a brand new shirt
The singer is making an effort to appear presentable and attractive
I'll get home early from work
The singer is willing to adjust his schedule to accommodate the person he is addressing
If you say that you love me
The singer's willingness to make changes to his life is contingent on the person he is addressing expressing their love for him
Didn't I, didn't I, didn't I
See you cryin'
The singer is reminding the person he is addressing of a time when they were emotional and vulnerable in his presence
Feelin' all alone without a friend
You know you feel like dyin'
The singer recognizes that the person he is addressing is in a state of emotional distress
Kick on my old brown shoes
The singer reiterates his attempt to appear casual and easy-going
Never didn't I, didn't I, didn't I
See you cryin'
The singer suggests that he has always been present and attentive to the person he is addressing during moments of emotional turmoil
(I want you to want me)
The singer repeats the main point of the song, further emphasizing his desire for the person he is addressing
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Rick Nielsen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind